I write short stories and screenplays mostly in the horror genre. Several of my short stories have been published including one about a Kumiho (Korean Werefox). I regularly blog about writing, the horror genre and reviews at https://www.facebook.com/davidjenkinswriter

Review of The Derelict by Neil Williams

Blurb- Bound for England, the schooner AlbinGrau is curtailed by a storm ravaged ship. With no crew nor sail, and as night descends, something creeps forth from the shadows . . .Best bit: The final battle.Worst Bit: The reveal of the vampire like creature.Favourite quote: How about this tattoo? Isn’t she magnificent? I move my arm like so and look, it’s like she’s dancing for you. Almost like the real thing. Hah! Better than the real thing you might say; she won’t slap your face.This is the first small press book I have ever read and I must admit I was impressed not just by the writing but by the whole book layout. I would also like to point out I didn’t really want to read another vampire story but found myself enjoying this story because of the uniqueness of the setting. The isolation of the sea is an underused location and one, which is well described here. The introduction is one of the most intriguing I have read for a long time. The storyline is fast and tense with all the horror elements you would expect from the abandoned ship with scratches on the door to the mysterious assailant. These genre conventions although bordering on cliché may it easy to visualise and I would have put up with them if not for the vampire like creature. The assailant is presented as menacing enough but he seems a very simple vampire who adds nothing to the myth. Apart from the assailant, the only other problem I found was that the sailors could be more developed but the length probably limits this more than anything else.In conclusion, I really enjoyed this book due to its setting and description although I wish it was a different monster attacking them.